Fox Tapeworm Alert in Pacific Northwest | Portland News

Portland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 30, 2026 · 1m

A serious new health alert is sweeping the Pacific Northwest: researchers have confirmed the presence of the deadly fox tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis, which can infect both dogs and humans. Carried by foxes and coyotes, the parasite spreads through contact with their feces or contaminated soil—and can cause a liver-damaging disease that mimics cancer, often with no symptoms until years later. First detected in a fox kit on a WSU campus, the parasite is now known to be widespread among coyotes in the Puget Sound region and has also been found in squirrels and dogs across Idaho…